Lamp fixture



March 9, 1948.

o. H. VAN AMBURG ET AL LAMP FIXTURE Filed March 18, 1946 Figl.

lnvenfar's OTTo I'LVan.ikrnbuur p Jo n M.Pisfefl b M Their ATfor'ne Patented Mar. 9, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP FKTUBE Otto H. Van Amburg, Bridgeport, andJohn M.

Pistey, Fairfield, Conn assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York f Application March 18, 1946, Serial No. 655,106 1 Claim. (C1. 24041.12)

Our invention relates to lamp fixtures and more particularly to lamp cent lamps of the type now appearing on the market.

An object of our invention is the provision of a new and improved lamp fixture especially designed to accommodate a circular fluorescent lamp and which incorporates the ballast and starting switch customarily employed with a fluorescent lighting system.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a lamp fixture for circular lamps which employs a reflector and which is particularly adapted for use with ceiling canopies.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a view, partly in section, of a lamp fixture constructed in accordance with our invention; Fig. 2 is a view broken away to show a starter socket, and Fig.3 is a wiring diagram of the lamp fixture.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, our lamp fixture i has been illustrated as supported from a conventional ceiling bracket which includes a decorative shell 2 and an inner screw shell socket 3 for receiving an ordinary incandescent lamp bulb. The cover 2 is provided with a. plurality of thumb screws shade on the decorative shell. These thumb screws are used to support our lamp fixture on the shell in the same way that the globe is supported. Hencait will be manifest that our fluorescent lamp fixture may be used in place of an ordinary incandescent lamp and globe without the necessity of making any change in existing wiring systems.

Turning fixture, we employ now to the construction of our lamp a holder 5 for supporting a circular fluorescent lamp 6. To this end, the holder 5 is provided with a straight channel 1 carrying spaced arms 8 and 9 which engage the loop of the lamp to mount it in position on the holder. To facilitate mounting the lamp, the arm 9 is pivoted about the channel so that it may be moved toward the arm 8 for insertion in the lamp loop. A spring, a into firm engagement with the wall of the lamp and causes the lamp contact pins ID to make good electrical connection with a contact receptacle carried in arm 8. The wires connected to the contact receptacle are hidden in the interior of channel '3. The holder 5 itself forms no part of our invention and has been illustrated as of the type disclosed in the copending application of Frederick C. Dazley for Lamp holders, filed October 23, 1945, Serial No. 624,036, and assigned to the same assignee as the instant applifixtures for circular fluoresfluorescent A fo holding a globe or not shown, biases the arm cation. In order to mount the holder on a support, the channel 1 is provided with an internally threaded nozzle H.

Our lamp fixture makes use of a. ballast I2 which is inclosed in a. circular casing having an opening or passageway l3 extending through the center thereof to receive a mounting means and to permit wiring connections to be made therethrough. The ballast comprises either a choke coil or an autotransformer such as are customarily used with fluorescent lighting systems. It is mounted on the inner side of a dish-shaped reflector M having side walls [5 which serve'to house the ballast andobscure it from view, particularly when the fixture is mounted on a ceiling bracket. The lamp holder 5 is mounted on the outer surface of the reflector so that the reflector serves to increase the intensity of the lamp. Reflector It is circular in form and is preferably made of a diameter corresponding somewhat to that of the lamp. An adapter cup i6 is mounted on top of the ballast l2.

In order to hold the adapter cup, ballast, reflector and lamp holder in assembled relationship, a threaded hollow nipple I1 is mounted through an opening is in cup l6 and then extends through the passageway l3 into threaded engagement with the nozzle ll of the holder. By tightening up on the nipple H, the parts'will be locked together in assembled relationship. It should be noted that thelamp holder nozzle ll extends through an opening is in the reflector into the passageway l3. In this way, it serves as a centering means to hold the reflector and ballast centered on the lamp holder.

Our lamp fixture also makes use of a starting switch fo operating the fluorescent lamp. To this end, a socket 20 is mounted within the reflector M. It is wired into the system in accordance with the circuit diagram of Fig. 3, the wires irom the socket extending through openings 2| into the lamp holder channel. The starter socket itself form no part of our present invention and may comprise any one of the well known types now on the market and whlchemploy keyhole receptacle contacts 22 for making an electrical connection with the starter s 'tch. Similarly, a starting switch 23 may be of any known commercial type such as a glow switch or thermal starter.

As shown in Fig. 1, the lead wires to the starter and lamp holder are concealed within the lamp holder channel and are brought out through the nozzle H and hollow nipple l1. The electrical connections to the ballast are then made within the space provided by cup l6. Our lamp fixture the manner in which the holder, starter and ballast are wired into the lamp operating system. When the ceiling bracket is energized by turning on a wall switch, current flows from one supply line through the ballast II, the right hand lamp filament, the starting switch, the left hand lam'p filament to the other supply line. After a predetermined time interval, for example one second, the starting switch opens the circuit. This causes the ballast to provide a voltage kick which is applied across the lamp filaments causing a glow discharge fighting the lamp. The lamp fixture may be used with the usual 110 volt A. C. residence current supply.

Our fluorescent lamp fixture is one which may be used to replace many difi'erent types of incandescent lamp fixtures now in actual use. The fixture is mounted in position simply by removing the existing globe and inserting the adapter cup IS in the fixture shell where it can be secured in position by the thumb screws 4. Electrical connections are made by plugging in the cap 24. The fixture gives a pleasing appearance since the starter and ballast are hidden within the confines of the reflector. An excellent light source is provided inasmuch as the circular fluorescent lamp gives a well rounded distribution of light which is enhanced by the reflector. The starting switch, ballast and fluorescent lamp are all incorporated into a single fixture which can readily be used with existing lighting installations without the necessity of rewiring.

. at we clalmasnew and desiretosecureby Lett rs Patent of the United States is:

A lamp fixture for circular tubular discharge lamps comprising, in combination, a lamp holder having a support with relatively movable arms at opposite ends of the support for sup 3 g m. cular tubular lamp on the holder and for making an electrical connection therewith, said support being provided with a threaded nozzle centrally disposed between the arms, a circular dish-shaped reflector carried by said lamp holder. slid refiector being formed with a central o'rro s. VAN AMBURG. e JOHN M. PISTEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IEN'IS Number Name Date 1,380,144 Harvey May 31, 1921 2,014,054 Rood et a1 Sept. 20, 1935 2,419,965 Piepr May 6, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Page 12 of Fluorescent Catalog No. 100, 1941," published by Centre Lighting Fixture Mfg. C05 97-403 Houston St., New York. 

